“Times of upheaval inspire a search for alternative understandings of reality.” In “Spirituality Has Long Been Erased From Art History. Here’s Why It’s Having a Resurgence Today” art critic Eleanor Heartney identifies a “trend for spiritually-minded art,” which has resulted in a “new spirituality [that] manifests itself in a longing for restorative positives, and human-centered social attitudes.” It is within this search for a new, more expansive definition of spirituality that we seek to locate the role of visual art.
In the midst of climate crisis, racialized violence, police brutality, the pandemic, and global oppression, creative explorations of spirituality in contemporary art practice provide a unifying forum for reflection and response. Expressions of spirituality in relation to identity are both intimate and diverse. We ask, how have individuals and communities grounded themselves throughout this period? Can new explorations of “spirituality” aid artists and viewers in overcoming adversity? How are artists redefining “spirituality” through contemporary artistic practice?
Conference speakers will include a diverse range of artists, curators, art historians, and professionals with expertise in the following themes:
● Invisible Connections: Positioning the Individual and Collective Unconscious in Contemporary Critical Dialogue
● Spiritual Connections to the Natural Environment
● Building Community Through Art Making
● Making Peace: Spirituality and Ritual in Studio Practice
Please join us for three presentation panels, a roundtable discussion, and keynote presentation by (OCAD alumnus) Nathan Eugene Carson.
The event is free with refreshments provided throughout the day, followed by a reception of food and drinks.
Please register in advance to ensure admission.
Visit our website for more information or email us at cadn.conference.2023@gmail.com https://www.cadnconference.com/